Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of novel heteropolysaccharide isolated from Lobularia maritima on CCl4-induced liver injury in rats

Anis Ben Hsouna; Mbarka Hfaiedh; Sirine Ben Slima; Walid Ben Romdhane; Boutheina Ben Akacha; Mohamed Taieb Bouterra; Wissal Dhifi; Wissem Mnif; Faical Brini; Rania Ben Saad; Riadh Ben Salah

doi:10.1002/fsn3.2836

Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of novel heteropolysaccharide isolated from Lobularia maritima on CCl4-induced liver injury in rats

Food Sci Nutr. 2022 Apr 4;10(7):2271-2284. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.2836. eCollection 2022 Jul.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Life Sciences Faculty of Sciences of Gafsa Gafsa Tunisia.
² Laboratory of Biotechnology and Plant Improvement Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax Sfax Tunisia.
³ Research Unit of Active Biomolecules Valorisation Higher Institute of Applied Biology of Medenine University of Gabes Medenine Tunisia.
⁴ Laboratory of Microorganisms and Biomolecules (LMB) Center of Biotechnology of Sfax Sfax Tunisia.
⁵ Laboratory of Biotechnology and Valorisation of Bio-GeoRessources Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Sidi Thabet Biotechpole Sidi Thabet University of Manouba Ariana Tunisia.
⁶ Department of Chemistry Faculty of Sciences and Arts in Balgarn University of Bisha Bisha Saudi Arabia.
⁷ ISBST BVBGR-LR11ES31 Biotechpole Sidi Thabet University of Manouba Ariana Tunisia.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the extraction and the characterization of a novel heteropolysaccharide from Tunisian halophyte Lobularia maritima (LmPS). We were also interested in its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective effects on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver injury in rats. LmPS physicochemical properties were evaluated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and UV absorption. According to TLC and HPLC results, LmPS was a heteropolysaccharide composed of glucose, galactose, and xylose. Its molecular weight was 130.62 kDa. This heteropolysaccharide was characterized by a significant antioxidant potential and was efficient against oxidative stress and CCL₄-induced hepatotoxicity in rat Wistar models (n = 8) treated with a single dose of LmPS 250 mg/kg of body weight. This was evidenced by a significant increase in serum marker enzymes specially aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The cytokines released after stimulation of rats with LmPS showed high anti-inflammatory profiles with an increased rate of interleukine-10 (IL-10) with 0.03 pg/mL compared to animals treated only with CCl₄. On the contrary, we noticed a decrease of the other cytokines (tumor necrosis factor α: TNF-α, interleukine-6: IL-6, transforming growth factor beta 1: TGF-β1) with average concentration values of <0.2, 0.1, and 0.04 pg/mL, respectively. Besides, histopathological examinations revealed that CCl₄ causes acute liver damage, characterized by extensive hepatocellular necrosis, vacuolization, and inflammatory cell infiltration, as well as DNA fragmentation. LmPS administration at a dose of 250 mg/kg resulted in a significant hepatoprotection, evidenced by a reduction of CCl₄-induced oxidative damage for all tested markers. These findings eagerly confirmed that LmPS was effective in the protection against CCl₄-induced hepatotoxicity and genotoxicity. It, therefore, suggested a potential therapeutic use of this polysaccharide as an alternative medicine for patients with acute liver diseases.

Keywords: CCl4; genotoxicity; halophyte, Lobularia maritima; hepatoprotective; oxidative stress; polysaccharides.